Ray to return for 2018

[R.J]

https://www.tsn.ca/ray-signs-one-yea...nauts-1.986858

[Wobbler]

Hoo-Ray!

[Argobouncer]

Great news! Things have sure turned around for this franchise - Ricky Ray has been a big part of that, glad to see it will continue.

I look forward to an excellent team this year & better stadium turnout than the past 2 years with MLS & Rogers on board full time.

[1971GreyCup]

I was sure Ricky was watching Tom Brady playing at the highest level at 40 and would conclude there's lots of fuel left in his tank! Outstanding!

[Scooter McCray]

Great news. Great depth at QB position for the present and the future. Now that Popp knows how much money he has, he can begin to lock up other priority free agents with 10 days left. Hopefully some of those players will want to continue what they started in 2017 and want to stay in a good situation.

I hope they can bring James Wilder back as well. Sweeten his deal if possible. He is important to their offensive strategy and he knows and is comfortable in the system. It would be nice to see MLSE spend over the cap and take the penalty to put the best team on the field to really drive a strong marketing campaign and rejuvenate interest. Consider it a cost of doing business in Toronto.

[jerrym]

Ray made my day!

[ArgofanIan]

This is great News .... ARRRRRRGOOOOSSSS !!!!!!

[Mightygoose]

Great news! I can't recall when are QB situation looked this solid heading into the next season.

[Neely2005]

Great news!

[1971GreyCup]

I'm sure Jim Popp will make sure James Wilder know Ricky's coming back. A call from Coach Trestman telling James to "trust the process!"

Argos, why don't you bring Ricky Ray up for the Fan Town Hall? Sell some season tickets and start the 2018 momentum.

[Joe Barnes]

Very happy about this news! Our version of the Wilkinson/Moon combo in Edmonton all those years ago...

[ArgoZ]

"Are you Ricky Ray? Who wants to know?
Are you Slim Ray?
Are you Paid Ray?
Who wants to know? Who wants to know?"

https://youtu.be/JqnO40AGRSc

[Argo57]

I thought he may retire, a pleasant surprise to have Ray return!

[smokeslet'sgo]

Great news. Great depth at QB position for the present and the future. Now that Popp knows how much money he has, he can begin to lock up other priority free agents with 10 days left. Hopefully some of those players will want to continue what they started in 2017 and want to stay in a good situation.

I hope they can bring James Wilder back as well. Sweeten his deal if possible. He is important to their offensive strategy and he knows and is comfortable in the system. It would be nice to see MLSE spend over the cap and take the penalty to put the best team on the field to really drive a strong marketing campaign and rejuvenate interest. Consider it a cost of doing business in Toronto.

Part of me is saying let's not be "that team" that cheats and buys championships, but the other part of me is saying screw it, win all the championships (and bonus for Hamilton hating us even more)

[Stevoman]

Good news. I hope for Ray to lead the way with Franklin still getting plenty of opportunity to play and develop.

[matchuk]

amazing news on another cold wintery day

[paulwoods13]

Isn't the penalty for exceeding the cap by more than $100,000 a loss of draft choice(s)? IMO doing so would be short-sighted and would be unlikely to pay off in a huge jump in attendance.

[Jon Gonzo]

Great news. Great depth at QB position for the present and the future. Now that Popp knows how much money he has, he can begin to lock up other priority free agents with 10 days left. Hopefully some of those players will want to continue what they started in 2017 and want to stay in a good situation.

I hope they can bring James Wilder back as well. Sweeten his deal if possible. He is important to their offensive strategy and he knows and is comfortable in the system. It would be nice to see MLSE spend over the cap and take the penalty to put the best team on the field to really drive a strong marketing campaign and rejuvenate interest. Consider it a cost of doing business in Toronto.

Interesting to note; Ricky left money on the table to keep the quality around him...up.

Pretty easy to notice how much easier a time of it Mr. Ray had after the arrival of Jonathan Himebauch and the insertion of one James Wilder Jr.

Polar opposites really.

One way, if left to play out, probably equaled crutches or a hospital bed. The latter formula equaled a Grey Cup.

There may be an opportunity here for one more season with JWJ. I agreed with some earlier comments on the tone of those comments. I think James sounds more matter-of-fact and kind of hopeful. He has bent over backwards to try and explain himself and he was indeed a humble servant in his first season. Other than the timing of the messages, I too draw little similarity between what he and Victor Butler said.

I have really gone back and forth on this issue. The commish (as always) has made some solid points; this is a humble, quality, working mans' league.

We have to enforce deals moving forward, but there may be opportunity here.

I hope we can find a way with JWJ as I think he would come back to TOR with an earnest, honest effort. And I think Ricky can win with him.

Victor Butler? I am past that. Tuggle and Davis are the next men up. Bring another couple of guys in to challenge them in the spring, and move along. I think Tuggle has all-star potential.

As for going over the cap? No, don't do that. That's trouble.

[1971GreyCup]

With MLSE onboard, Calgary Flames and soon Vancouver Canucks, plus a massively profitable Riders team, watch for a move towards a more generous salary cap, or franchise player(S) tag. Cost savings owners like Brailey out. Balance of power shifting of CFL Board of Governors. Professionally run owners in.

Professionally run franchisees are excellent capital allocators. They know that spending more could actually cost them less. Plus add economies of scale and the CFL teams could make money and actually become a return on their investment!

Bell Media/Larry Taunebaun and now MLSE didn't outlay $20 million without a plan.

[paulwoods13]

With MLSE onboard, Calgary Flames and soon Vancouver Canucks, plus a massively profitable Riders team, watch for a move towards a more generous salary cap, or franchise player(S) tag.

I disagree this will happen -- at least not without a work stoppage. The owners are in it to make money, not to give it away. I doubt the players will be united enough to force a much more generous CBA -- too many factions (vets/rookies/future players, NATs/INTs, high-paid/low-paid). There has been lots of infighting among players on Twitter this off-season. We all want players to make more money and stay in the CFL, but if they get a significantly larger piece of the pie, we will pay through higher ticket prices.